1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag. In particular, the present invention relates to an air bag folded in such a manner as to reduce the possibility of adverse loads on a vehicle occupant when the air bag inflates.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to inflate an air bag from a vehicle instrument panel to help protect an occupant of a front passenger seat of a vehicle. In some instances, the occupant may be closer than desired to the instrument panel when the air bag is inflated. The inflating air bag may get caught under the occupant""s chin, increasing the neck loads on the occupant caused by the inflating air bag. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the interaction between the inflating air bag and the occupant""s head.
The present invention is an inflatable air bag for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The air bag has a deflated condition stored in a container in the vehicle and has an inflated condition. The air bag when in the inflated condition has upper and lower sections. The air bag has a first portion forming the lower section of the air bag when the air bag is in the inflated condition, and a second portion forming the upper section of the air bag when the air bag is in the inflated condition. The air bag includes a back panel disposed farthest from the vehicle occupant when the air bag is in the inflated condition and a front panel disposed closest to the vehicle occupant when the air bag is in the inflated condition.
The first portion of the air bag is folded into a compact shape and stored in a lower portion of the container when the air bag is in the deflated condition. The second portion of the air bag is rolled into a compact shape and stored in an upper portion of the container when the air bag is in the deflated condition. The second portion of the air bag inflates upward and unrolls in a direction away from the vehicle occupant upon inflation of the air bag so that the front panel of the air bag is presented toward the vehicle occupant during inflation of the air bag. The first portion of the air bag inflates before the second portion of the air bag.